Densho

Mission: 

Densho (伝承) is a Japanese term meaning to pass on to the next generation, or to leave a legacy. Our organization’s name reflects our mission and purpose.

Founded in 1996, Densho is a digital archive and public history organization whose mission is to preserve and share history of the World War II incarceration of Japanese Americans to promote equity and justice today. Our public websites include more than 1,200 oral histories and over 140,000 photos, letters, and other archival items, as well as free historical and educational resources.

We are committed to making the stories of the people who lived through this critical event accessible and meaningful for current and future generations.

This GiveBIG, our goal is to raise $15,000 in order to launch our Living History Project. 

Right now, we are living through a historically significant and unprecedented moment—one that demands critical attention and documentation. That is why Densho is launching the Living History Project, a new oral history initiative to capture our community’s thoughts and experiences in the present. 

Today, Japanese American community leaders, activists, and elders are drawing on memories of World War II to navigate ongoing and emerging crises, reflecting on issues of democracy, citizenship, and state power, among others. Through this new initiative, we will record these perspectives, documenting how our community is making sense of and responding to current events in real time. 

But we cannot launch this project without your support. 

By GivingBIG between now and May 5th, you will help set this project in motion, by allowing us to buy necessary equipment, engage in outreach, and send staff to pilgrimages and other events where they can conduct on-site oral history interviews. 

Thank you for standing with Densho and for believing that the stories of everyday people deserve to be heard and remembered for generations to come.